With contract in place, second-round pick Reed eager to let people know he’s an Astro

Astros’ second round draft pick A.J. Reed tips his cap as he is introduced to the fans at Minute Maid Park on Wednesday. (Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle)

One day after he was taken in the second round of the draft by the Astros, University of Kentucky slugger AJ Reed rushed to his local hat store Friday in Terre Haute, Ind., to pick up his new team’s cap. Although the team would have given him one when he signed his contract, the SEC Player of the Year wore that cap on his trip to Houston and throughout his introductory press conference Wednesday.

“If I leave the house I probably got this hat on,” he said proudly. “I got to let people know where I’m going.”

Reed, who led the NCAA in homers this year and is set to start at shortseason Class A Tri City, is definitely proud to begin his pro career with the Astros’ organization.

“I’m playing for a professional baseball team. It has been my dream my whole life,” said the 6-foot-4, 240-pounder. “To be able to play with the Astros I feel like is one of the best things for me team wise. I feel like what they need is what I have to offer. It’s just a really good opportunity for me to start my career and try to make it as good a career as I can.”

The lefthanded Reed is happy to leave the mound behind even though he won 12 games as Kentucky’s ace this season.

“My arm’s not going to hurt every day now, so that’s something that I’m excited about,” he said. “It’s going to be different not pitching. Just focusing on hitting is a challenge, and I’m looking forward to it.”

Astros scouting director Mike Elias expects Reed to start his career at short-season Tri-City of the New York-Penn League as the ValleyCats’ starting first baseman.

Reed, 21, hit .336 with 23 home runs, 18 doubles, 73 RBIs and a .735 slugging percentage and 1.211 OPS. He had more walks (49) than strikeouts (48) this year while posting a .476 on-base percentage.

“This is the first major signing that we made from what we feel is a very strong draft class,” Elias said. “AJ is a huge part of that class. To get a bat like his in the draft was really a goal for us going into the draft. He was part of a very strong crop of offensive players.

“AJ’s accomplishments this year really speak for themselves. He was the best hitter in college baseball, hit .336 in the nation’s toughest conference.”